Seussical 2 - The Rise of the Onceler
by DivineYogurt
Summary: Who was saved and the Jungle of Nool was at peace once more. Everything was settled, all loose threads tied up. That is...except one. For on the other side of town, the Truffula trees were all cut down. They once stood tall in all their glory...but that's another story. That lost tale has returned to haunt the residents of Who, and only a certain Thinker can save the day once more


**AN:**

Seussical fanfiction!

BECAUSE WHY NOT!?

* * *

"Are they completed?"

"Not yet sir. But they're very close."

The shadowy figure crossed their arms, tapping their foot impatiently. The two stood on a catwalk, overviewing the dark factory, the machines only illuminated by the flames within the furnaces. Below, various metals were dumped into the furnace, emerging as molten metal that was poured into casts. The molten metal was then cooled by freeze rays, forming into metal parts that were sent along on a conveyor belt. The conveyor belts pulled along said metal parts, where groups of people, chains attached to their ankles, assembled the parts together, forming larger parts. The parts then went through an opening in the back wall to places unknown.

"How much longer?"

"I…I am not sure sir. Perhaps another week?"

The shadowy figure growled in rage, the other figure taking a few nervous steps back away. The shadowy figure spun on their heel, storming down the catwalk, with the other figure following behind at a safe distance.

The two quickly made their way down the side of the factory, towards an electronic door with a keypad lock on it. The shadowy figure scanned a key card, then typed a code into the keypad. The red light above the door turned green as the doors slid open, allowing access. The two walked through, overviewing the next room.

Within the room, the large parts rolled in from the other room. More chained people took these parts, connecting them together to make even larger parts than the large parts. By this point each part was the size of several people, taking a group to carry them. These larger parts than the large parts were then carried to the next room. The two figures continued to follow the progress of the parts.

In the next room, the larger parts than the large parts were combined once again, forming larger parts than the larger parts than the large parts. At this point, the parts were even larger, requires a good 20 people to haul them. These larger parts than the larger parts than the large parts were taken outside of the facility. The figures made no move to follow this time.

"We must make haste," the shadowy figure said, watching the progress intently. "We can hide our progress for some time, but eventually _he_ will notice us, and if it is too soon all will be lost."

"Yes sir," the other figure said, bowing their head. They then turned to the people below and called out. "Work faster! Any laggers will be eliminated!"

The people, hearing the threats and knowing they were not idly made, increased their speed, creating more larger parts than the larger parts than the large parts even quicker and taking them outside at maximum sprinting speed. The shadowy figure nodded in approval.

"Soon…we will have our vengeance…"

* * *

 _Seussical 2!_

* * *

"Can you help me with the groceries sweetie?"

"Sure mom!"

The boy put the bookmark back into his book as he hurried out of his room and down the stairs. His mother was carrying the groceries into the kitchen, so the boy hurried outside to the driveway where his mother had parked. Retrieving the grocery bags, the boy made his way back inside and delivered them to his mother.

"Thank you, sweetie," his mother said, giving him a smile as she began to put away the groceries into the cabinets and fridgamerator. The boy shook his head. _Fridge_. He meant fridge. He let out a small laugh. He hadn't thought those kinds of thinks…no, _thoughts_ , in a long time.

"What's funny sweetheart?"

"It's nothing," the boy said with a smile on his face still. "Just remembering something funny I used to think about…"

"Well your teachers are very happy with your performance in school," his mother said with a smile. "They say you have quite the focused mind."

"Well I'm almost in high school," the boy reminded her. "I should have started focussing more a while ago, to be honest…"

"Oh, I remember the problems you used to have," his mother recalled. "Very distracted all the time, always thinking of everything but the lessons."

The boy nodded in thought. High school had always seemed like an eternity away back in 3rd grade, but now it was just knocking on the door. He didn't have time to focus on other things right now. Which reminded him...

"I'd better get back to my homework, mom," the boy said, his mother nodding in agreement. The boy hurried back upstairs into his room, picking back up his Algebra book. The final was on Monday, not to mention the rest of his homework. Yes, he had no time at all to waste…

The boy returned to his studies, pouring over the equations and numbers to absorb the information into his brain…

…all the while a cardboard box of old, well-worn books sat just below his bed, long since forgotten…

* * *

 _Seussical 2!_

* * *

"…n!…ton!….orton!…HORTON!"

Horton the Elephant awoke with a start to the sounds of a shrill cry. He looked around in a brief panic, trying to get his bearings. He was currently sat in the middle of the jungle pool in an attempt to stave off the blazing summer heat, to mild success.

Gertrude McFuzz flew in from above and landed by the edge of the pool. Behind her landed another bird, this one carrying a lush tail of bright feathers behind him. His defining feature, however, was the large elephant ears on his head that he used to fly, his small wings unable to support the combined weight of his ears and body. From practice with Gertrude, Gorton McFuzz the Elephant had learned to fly by a very young age, swooping across the jungle with his bright plumage trailing behind him.

Gorton was the adopted son of Horton, who had adopted the elephant-bird when the lovely Mayzie La Bird had flown off to Palm Beach on vacation, leaving the egg in the care of Horton. Horton had protected the egg through storms, snow, hunters and the circus, all the way back to the jungle, where it had hatched into Gorton.

Since then, Horton and Gertrude had been raising Gorton together, with Gertrude teaching him how to fly through the sky, while Horton taught him how to live on the land. This arrangement had worked out rather well thus far, with Gorton being raised his whole life by the two caring individuals. Mayzie hadn't been seen since Horton had seen her at the circus five years ago, but neither Horton, Gertrude, nor Gorton had expressed any desire to seek out the vain bird from wherever she may currently be.

"Hey, kiddo!" Horton greeted cheerily, standing from the cool jungle pool water. Almost immediately, the sun's hot summer rays beamed down, making Horton feel hot and muggy again. Despite the hot temperatures, neither Gertrude nor Gorton appeared to be affected, the two both standing by the pool, showing no signs of feeling the heat.

" _Must be a bird thing,"_ Horton thought jealously, stretching his shoulders out carefully. He wasn't very old yet, but dang if he felt like it sometimes. Especially when Gorton was running all over the place, jumping and flying around like a ball of pure energy.

"Horton...it's Who," Gertrude said with a frown. "They need to talk to you."

Horton tilted his head curiously. Horton hadn't talked to Who in a few years, being occupied with raising Gorton and all. Plus, the Sour Kangaroo and Wickersham Brothers mostly watched over the tiny planet. The clover was kept planted in a pot that the Sour Kangaroo and her child kept in their home. All had been good in Who, so why would they need Horton?

Regardless of his confusion, Horton climbed from the jungle pool feeling the sun's absolute heat even more than before as the water dripped off his body. With Gertrude and Gorton following close behind, Horton made his way through the jungle and arrived at the Sour Kangaroo's house.

Despite the name, it wasn't a house so much as it was simply a nesting place for the clover upon rested the dust speck upon rested Who. The hut kept out wind and rain from blowing away or flooding the tiny planet, and the flowerpot kept it steady so the clover would not fall over and tip all the Whos' tiny houses.

"Mr. Mayor?" Horton asked tentatively, approaching the clover, ears strained to make out the Whos' tiny voices. A few moments passed of silence, sending chills through Horton's heart for a moment before the tiny voice answered.

"Horton! Thank goodness!"

Relieved that nothing bad had happened to the tiny world, Horton knelt down beside the clover to listen closely. A few moments passed before the mayor spoke again.

"Horton...there's big trouble afoot on Who. We need your help!"

"What's wrong Sir Mayor?" Horton asked, concerned for his friends. "Is everyone okay? Is Jojo all right?"

"Jojo is still gone on his trip. We're all fine. Its just...something is happening. Someone...someone is doing something, and I don't know what. But I can feel the disturbance on Who."

"What do you want me to do Lord Mayor?" Horton asked, frowning. If something was so wrong, he had to do something to help.

"This is a Who issue Horton. There's nothing you can do. I just want you- all of you- to be ready...just in case."

Horton nodded, taking in the Mayor's words. Whatever this issue was...the Jungle of Nool would be ready...although Horton couldn't quite guess how something from Who would affect the animals. After all, everything on Who was tinier than the head of a pin. And the animals in the Jungle of Nool were the largest of all. What in the world could anything from Who do to them?


End file.
